DUBAI - Here are some factors that may affect Middle East stock markets on Thursday. Reuters has not verified the press reports and does not vouch for their accuracy.

INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL

* GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares fall on growth and tapering fears, dollar holds firm  

* Oil gains for 2nd session as lower U.S. output supports  

* PRECIOUS-Gold hovers near 2-week low as firm dollar hurts appeal 

* MIDEAST STOCKS-Abu Dhabi stocks at record highs as Etisalat extends gains 

* Iran warns West of IAEA move as U.S says time running out to save nuclear deal 

* ANALYSIS-The West owes Qatar a favour over Afghanistan. That was the point  

* Saudi Arabia hopes new Afghan government can bring stability-minister  

* Saudi Arabia welcomes release of classified documents of Sept 11 attack  

* Syrian army enters birthplace of uprising under peace deal  

* Liberals win most seats in Morocco's parliamentary election, routing Islamists 

 

EGYPT

* Egypt's GASC buys 300,000 tonnes of wheat in tender  

* Egypt ironing out technical issues to join Euroclear in coming months- minister  

* Egyptian fintech MNT-Halan secures $120 mln of investment  

 

SAUDI ARABIA

* Bill Gates' investment firm to take control of Four Seasons in $2.21 bln deal  

* Aramco oil pipelines investors to sell at least $4 bln in bonds in Q4 - sources 

* Saudi Arabia's PIF hires banks to advise on ESG -IFR  

* Saudi Electricity raises nearly $2.6 bln with revolving loan  

 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

* Abu Dhabi expected to raise $3 billion via bonds  

* Abu Dhabi wealth fund to focus on tech, climate change after COVID-19 

* Yahsat Selects SpaceX'S Falcon 9 To Launch Thuraya 4-NGS Satellite 

* UAE's anti-money laundering body endorses framework for virtual assets  

 

KUWAIT

* Arkan Al Kuwait Real Estate To Manage Part Of Commercial Properties Of Awqaf Public Foundation  

 

QATAR

* Middle East Crude-Benchmarks edge up; Qatar cuts OSPs 

 

BAHRAIN

* GFH Signs $200 Mln Multifamily Residential Deal In US  

(Compiled by Dubai newsroom) ((dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com))